Indicator selecting and lock-in circuit



May 19, 1953 P. MALLERY 2,639,415

INDICATOR SELECTING AND LOCK-IN CIRCUIT Filed Oct. 27, 194B 2Sheets-Sheet l GROUP 3 j lNVENTOR P. MALLERY c/uT/v By M WE F/G. 6 j{ATTORNEY BLUE LVELLOW May 19, 1953 P. MALLERY INDICATOR SELECTING ANDLOCK-IN CIRCUIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27, 1948 id 9* W? E W m NSMS R MALLERV U m m T A Patented May 19, 1953 INDICATOR SELECTING ANDLOCK- IN CIRCUIT Paul Mallory, Murray Hill, N. assignor .toBellTelephone Laboratories, Incorporated,

New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 27, 1948,Serial No. 56,833

'7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to selective indicating Moreparticularly, it relates to systems and methods of indication in whichany number from one to less than whole thereof of elements may bevariably selected in non-interfering manner according to code settingsof a number of variable elements such as keys or buttons.

A feature of one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention is thatsettings once made may be maintained as long as desired and thereuponreleased.

Another feature is that one group or code of settings may be maintainedafter having been established by the variable members while the variablemembers are being operated to set up another group or code therebypermitting utilization of indications according to one setting of thevariable members while the other members are being operated to prepareindications according to another group of codes.

Other objects to provide that the saine or other groups may be reset asoften as desired; that the equipment employed be portable and consist ofinexpensive elements; that selections made by operating any key may bereadily changed; that consumption of electrical energy be avoided whenthe arrangement is not in use; and that the equipment be easy tomaintain.

Other objects will appear incident to the 01- lowing description ofcertain exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Let us assume a specific problem of indicating which of a large numbersubscribers desire or should receiv. *ertain pieces of information.Specificall rune an information distributing agency w and prepares orcompiles information relative to a large of con struction projects. Theagency have an indefinitely large number of subscribers. Just how largeis ll iaterial, but let us assume that the number is five hundred. Manyof these subsoribers might not wish information with respect to manyprojects and indeed. might not even wish to be bothered with receivingthe same, whereas wish to receive information with respect to otherprojects. For example, there might be fifty d .ent classes or varietiesof projects the a scribers might wish to receive information withrespect to some selected number only of these; the valuations orcommerclal importance of projects might be classified, for example, fivedifferent ways and certain subscribers rnight wish to r ceive some ofthese classifications but not others; the status or state of completionof projects might be classified in a variety of ways and subscribersmight wish to receive information from selected ones of these; thetrades or materials involved in the projects might be classified in agreat variety of manners and subscribers might wish to receiveinformation-as to some of these and not others; the territories orregions constituting the loci of the projects "might be classified invarious ways and subscribers might wish to receive information as toonly some of these, and so. forth.

Let us assume a manufacturer of bricks was one subscriber. Suchmanufacturer might perhaps be interested only in building projectsemploying bricks on a sufficiently large scale to justify shipments ofcarload lots in a particular restricted territory within one hundredmiles oi the manufacturers factory and in which the brick requirementswere of some particular type made by the particular subscriber. It wouldbe contemplated that the information agency would prepare brief digestsrelating to the various projects and, that each subscriber would have abox or container "for receiving the digest in case it related tosomething in which he was interst'ed. By employing means in accordancewith the invention and setting keys in. accordance with codeddesignations or the digests an indicator individual togea'ch box wouldbe caused to give an indication, as the result of operating selectedkeys or other operable members located at a keyboard or central point,as to which subscribers would be interested in a particular project. Thedigests could then be distributed into the boxes as thus indicated andexcluded from all the others. The labor-involved sorting process wouldthus b'efenorrnously simplified and the accuracy increased. Thus, in thecase given, the simple operation of one key would indicate the exclusionof the digests from the boxes of many subscrib'enus not interested inthe particular type of project; thus, for example, the suppliers oflumber would be excluded under control of one or more keys, suppliers ofbricks in other territories would be excluded by another or others,suppliers of bricks not interested in delivering directly to the sitewould be excluded by another or others, and so forth.

In a typical case one operator or attendant would operate or set certainkeys in accordance with the indie-la on an individual digest and anotheroperator or attendant would, distribute copies of that digest inaccordance with the indications thus given; while this distribution wastaking place the keyboard operator would set up the keys for the nextdigest, thus securing overlapping operation. If desired, however, oneperson could set the keys and make the necessary distribution beforeresetting the keys for the next digest.

This exemplary instance of utility of the invention should not be takento exclude the use of apparatus involving the principles thereof forother purposes. Thus, for example, an investment advisory service couldhave clients classified in various ways. For example, some clients wouldbe interested only in Government bonds. others in municipal bonds,others in railroad bonds, others in particular types of stocks, whilemany would be interested in various groups of these subjects.Arrangements according to the invention could be used to facilitatedistribution of objects or information or various desired subjects inaccordince with these classifications. Other possibilities of utilitywill be apparent.

Certain exemplary embodiments are disclosed in the accompanying drawingswherein:

1 represents an arrangement in which cold cathode tubes having startingand transfer electrodes are employed;

Fig. 2 represents an arrangement in which ordinary incandescent lightbulbs are employed:

Fig. 3 represents an arrangement in which lamps are lighted by certaincombinations of operated keys as well as extinguished thereby;

Fig. 4 is an arrangement in which the combination of relays, lamps andvaristors are employed;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a simple plug-ended cord having both endsequivalent and colored alike; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of a cord including a rectifier and having its endsdesignated by different colors, said cords enabling cross-connecting andchanges of cross-connections to be expeditiously performed.

In accordance with certain embodiments of the invention indications maybe given by operating an element or lighting a light while in others theconverse may be the case.

The principal elements of Fig. 1 comprise an indefinite number of coldcathode tubes A, B, C, etc. One tube is intended to identify ordesignate each of a series of boxes, envelopes, customers or otherarticles or things. The tubes A, B, C, etc. function circuitly and alsoas indicating devices. In a practical installation it is contemplatedthat the number of such tubes would be quite considerable; theillustration of a few only is for the purpose of explaining theprinciples involved. Other elements are a start key SK, a disconnect keyDK', a series of varistors or equivalent rectifying elements VI, V2, V3,V4, etc., and a proper number of code or select keys KI, K2, K3, K4,etc.

The operation to initially set up a coded or selected combination ofindications will now be described. The non-locking start key SK ismomentarily operated. Each tube A, B, C, etc. has a discharge set upbetween its cathode Ca and starting anode SA. The discharge is frompositive battery over the starting anode to the cathode to ground. Theprincipal anodes PA are connected to positive batteryall keys KI, K2,being openhence the discharges transfer to the principal anodes, thecurrent path being from positive battery through resistors I0 over theprincipal anodes PA and cathodes Ca to ground.

The operator or attendant now operates such keys KI, K2, etc. as arecalled for by the particu- .4 lar selection to be indicated. Theoperation of key KI shorts the principal anode of tube A to ground andtube A is extinguished if and when key KI is operated. Key KI alsoshorts the principal anode of tube B to ground through varistor VI,extinguishing tube B. The operation of key K2 extinguishes tube Bthrough the varistor V2 but would not extinguish tube A (key KI beingunoperated) because the polarity of varistor or rectifier VI is such asto present a high resistance to current due to positive potentialapplied through the resistor III associated with tube A. Likewise,operation of key K2 extinguishes tube C but does not extinguish tube D.In a similar manner, operation of key K3 extinguishes tube B but doesnot extinguish tube A. The operation of key K4 extinguishes tubes C andD but does not extinguish tubes A or B. Points P are in multipled setsfor each tube and points PI are in multipled sets for each key. Bysuitable cross-connections of the points P with the points PI incombinations or codes, any selected tubes can be extinguished and othersleft lighted by the operation of any code key. Thus, in the case ofdistributing information relative to building projects, a certain numberof tubes might be left operated depending upon which keys are operated,the circuit being arranged so that the operation of one key will usuallybut not necessarily always extinguish at least one tube and possiblyseveral or many others. Thus, at the end of the operation of a code orselection of keys, the illuminated tubes, which also function asindicators, might indicate subscribers interested in certain specifiedtypes of projects involving specified building trades, of a specifiedstatus, of a specified range of values, in specified territories, and soforth. The discharge tubes which may be of any suitable type givesufficient illumination to function as indicators; dependent uponwhether they are filled with argon, helium, neon, and so forth, thecolor of the light may be preferably chosen. It is possible withincertain limits of design depending upon the con struction of the tubesand the ionization voltages of different gases to use tubes filled withdifferent gases or combinations of gases so that some tubes may give offlight of one color and others of another color for giving specialindicating effects although this is a refinement not essential to themain purposes of the invention.

After the information thus indicated is utilized, key SK may bereoperated, which again initiates discharges in all the discharge tubes,and the operation is repeated.

However, another mode of operation is possible. Thus while theinformation indicated on one setting is being utilized, the disconnectkey may be opened and left opened for a period of time. With the startkey SK positioned normally the discharge tubes which are glowing willcontinue to glow. In the meantime a new setting of keys KI, K2, K3, K4,etc. may be established but inasmuch as key DK is opened no effect willbe produced and upon completion of the utilization of the currentsetting the operation of the key SK to the right will energize all ofthe discharge tubes and immediately thereafter closure of key DK willextinguish those which should be extinguished according to the newsetting of keys KI, K2, etc., so that a new registration is immediatelypresented. The information thus indicated may be utilized by the newsetting of the code keys. It will be understood that each discharge tubecannot be initially caused to glow by the battery voltage appliedthroughits associated resistance to unless a discharge is first causedto occur across the startingelectrodes from the battery connected to thestart key SK. However, after the starting electrodes transfer theirdischarge to the main-electrodes the discharge continues independentlyof the starting electrodes and key SK may be restored to normalposition.

In accordance with the modification as per Fig. 2 ordinary incandescentlamps A, B, C, etc., may be employed. Normally they are all lighted butthe operation of any code key will extinguish one or more lamps. Thus,operation of key Kl extinguishes lamp A and also lamp B. It will .benoticed that the current from battery supplied over resistors I isnegative in this case so that for extinguishing the lamp the varistorsor rectifiers are directed oppositely to their direction in Fig. 1. Theoperation. of key K2 extinguishes lamps B and C but therectifier VIprevents extinction of lamp A. and the rectifier V4 prevents theextinction of lamp B becauserectiiiers V! and V4 are poled so as toprevent the extinction of lamp A and lamp E, respectively, by key K2.The operation of key K3 can extinguish only lamp B; the operation of keyK4 can extinguish only lamp D and the operation of key K5 extinguisheslamps C and E. This arrangement does not permit utilizing one settingwhile operating the keys to establish a new setting but otherwise hasmany of the advantages of the arrangement of Fig. 1 and may beparticularly useful where cheapness is desired or where one personestablishes a selected setting of indications and then utilizes thembefore going back and establishing a new setting. Every key Kl, K2,etc., must be set in its appropriate opened or closed position upon eachoperation.

The arrangement of Fig. 3 provides means whereby a lamp may be lightedby operation. of a code key and some other lamp may be extinguished bythe operation of the same key. For this purpose the keys are arrangedingroups des ignated Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3. If key K! in Group 1and key K4 in Group 2 are operated battery will be supplied to lamps Aand B from key K! and ground will be supplied to the lamps A and B fromkey K4 of Group 2 which will cause both lamps A and B to be illuminated.Lamps D and E- are also supplied with battery by the operation of key K4and their right-hand terminals are already connected to ground so thatlamps D and E also will be illuminated. If key K2 and key K4 are bothoperated the lamps A, D and E will be supplied with both battery andground and will be lighted. The resistor or varisister in the left-handconductor, directly connecting terminals P and P! in Fig. 3. preventsthe lighting of lamp B because it is so poled to offer a high resistanceto negative current flcwing from the battery of key K2 toward the lam-pB.

It will be understood that the resistors shown have resistancesapproximately equal to the resistances or" the lamps. Also theresistance of the rectifying elements Vi and V2, etc., which are devicesknown in the art, is quite considerable in the direction in which theypass little or no current.

Still referring to Fig. 3, if key K4 only is operated it will supplyboth lamps D and E with b-attery and since they are permanentlyconnected to ground both lamps D and E will be lighted. If, however, inaddition key K! in Group 3 is operated, a low resistance shunt to groundwill be 6 placed upon the lamp E and it will be extinguished.

In general, with respect to arrangements enibod-ying the principles'ofFig. 3, one key or no keys in each group will be operated to set up aselecting condition but, in general, not more than one key will beoperated in any one group. Certain keys are provided with blank contactsand it will be understood that these, along with any other suitablenumber of groups of keys, may

be connected partly or wholly through varistors to other lamps shown orothers not shown.

We now come to Fig. 4 which includes in addi tion to the lamps A, Al, B,etc., relays RA, RB, etc, along with the varistors. The conditions for alamp being lighted in Fig. 4 are several. In other words, the system isquite flexible. It has several degrees of freedom.

As the first condition for a lamp being lighted it will be noted thatall lamps receive battery supply through'the armature of a relay andhence the relay armature must be connected through a varistor cord orplain cord to any given key in such a manner that current will flowfreely toward the armature. Thus, for example, if key K! is operated thevaristor V2 will freely pass current to the armature of relay RA andcurrent will pass freely to the armature of relay RB through a plaincordwith no varistor included.

As to the second condition, the winding of the relay must be suppliedwith operating battery. Thus, if key K4 or K5 is operated the winding ofrelay RA will be supplied with battery.

Another condition is that the relay winding must be supplied withground. Thus, if key K1 is operated the winding of relay EA will besupplied with ground through varistor V6 in a direction to freely passcurrent and likewise through the varistor V'l if key K8 were operated.

Another condition necessary for the lighting of a lamp is that itsassociated relay does not have a shunt around the winding. Thus, withthe coin nections shown the relaly RC has a permanent shunt upon itswinding if either of keys K! or K1 is operated and the relay RD willhave a shunt thereon through the varistor V9 or VH3 if key K1 or key K8,respectively, were operated.

Another condition necessary for the lamps to be lighted is that theground side of their circuits is supplied with ground. Thus, in the caseof lamp A it would be supplied with ground through varistor V4 if key Klll were operated and through varistor V5 if key Kl l were operated. Inthe case of lamp Al it would be supplied with ground if key K12 wereoperated, the connection being through a plain cord having no varistor.In the case of lamp F it has a permanent ground connected thereto in thearrangement shown.

In view of this explanation the further operation of Fig. 4 may beillustrated by means of tables. Thus, we may set down at the head of thetable the combination of keys to be operated which may consist of one ornone but usually not more in each group; the various groups, in accordance with the use of the system being employed for selectingbusiness projects, various trades, the various statuses, the variousprojects, the various territories, and so forth. Having identified thekeys to be operated, we may set down in the table which relays havebattery supplied to their armatures, which relay windings are suppliedwith battery, which relay windings are supplied with ground, which relaywindings are shunted, and thus we may set down which relays areoperated, and we may also set down which lamps are supplied with groundand from this information we may set down which lamps are lighted.

By way of illustration we will now assume that keys KI, K4, K7 and Klflare operated which results in the following table:

Keys operated: K1, K4, K7, K

For relay establishment of connections each terminal at a key which isto be connected to battery or ground has a definite color and eachterminal (in the case of Fig. 4) of a relay winding, relay armature orlamp which is to be connected to battery or ground has a definite color.

. Relay Relay Relays with v 4 Lamps Battery Relays Relaysd Supptledllfaigitpsi Applied to with with shunted Operate Gipgund 1g e A B C Inaccordance with this setting of keys only the lamps A and G give lightedindications which could indicate that only two subscribers designated byA and B would desire a particular piece of information.

In a similar manner we may assume that keys K2, K5, K1 and KIZ areoperated which results in the following table:

Key operated: K2, K5, K7, K12

In the case of other arrangements, such as Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the relayarmatures and windings are not present but the same considerations applyto the other terminals. As stated, there are two kinds of cords, plaincords and those containing varistors or rectifying elements. The plaincord has a color difierent than the color of any terminal, for example,green, as per Fig. 5. The

Thus, by suitable selection of keys representing trades, statuses,projects and territories we at once note the indication that only onesubscriber, who is designated by the lamp Al, would be interested inreceiving certain types of information.

An important consideration connected with the use of this invention isthe ease with which connections may be changed so that, whereas beforethe change the operation of a. given key does not light a light, it willlight it after the change, or vice versa.

Also, an arrangement of this kind, to be adaptable to changingconditions, must obviously be readily adaptable to changes ofindications, both as respects the number of indications and therequirements therefor. To this end each lamp, relay and key terminal is,in general, provided with a number of jacks in multiple. With referenceto Fig. 1, these terminals are designated P and PI and all connectionsbetween points P and PI are made by means of cords. In a similar mannerit will be understood that connections are made in the case of Figs. 2,3 and 4 with each point P and each point Pl consisting of an adequatenumber of jacks which are multiplied together. This brings us to adiscussion of the manner in which changes in interconnections andcodings may be made. For this purpose two types of cords having plugends are furnished, one of these types being according to Fig. 5 whichis a plain cord and the other according to Fig. 6 which is a cordcontaining a varistor or rectifying element. The manner of using thesecords and their purposes will now be further outlined.

cord containing the varistor has terminals with two distinctive colors,for example, blue and yellow, as per Fig. 6. The varistor is arranged ineach cord so that conductivity of positive current is always from onecolor to the other, for example, from yellow to blue. With the colorexamples stated the terminals connectable to ground by keys are yellow,terminals connectable to battery by keys are blue, terminals of lampsand relays to which ground is to be connected are blue, and terminals oflamps and relays to which battery is to be connected are yellow. Thisenables the cross-connection to be changed by relatively unskilledpersonnel because it minimizes the possibility of improper connections.In cross-connecting yellow terminals of cords are always connected toyellow fixed terminals and blue terminals of cords are always connectedto blue fixed terminals.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a series of circuit closers, a series of indicators,plurality of said circuit closers having connected to them a pluralityof multipled terminals forming a first series, a plurality of saidindicators having connected to them a plurality of multipled terminalsforming a second series, plain conductive cords connected betweencertain terminals of said first and secone. series, conductive cordsincluding rectifiers connected between terminals of said first andsecond series poled toward said first series, and other conductive cordsincluding rectifiers connected between terminals of said first andsecond series poled toward said second series, terminals of certain ofsaid cords being connected to the same multipled group.

2. A combination according to claim 1 wherein said indicators aregas-filled tubes of the type having a primary or start discharge pathand a principal discharge path, said cords being preselectable elementsfor selectively preparing disabling paths for certain of said tubes, incombination with for energizing all said start discharge paths, meansnormally conditioned to tend to transfer each discharge to itsassociated principal discharge path, a disconnect switch and meansoperative upon closure of which, all said prepared disabling paths arerendered eifective to extinguish tubes selectively as preselected.

3. In combination a plurality of keys, each of which when operatedsupplying ground and battery, a plurality of relays having individualwindings, connections whereby each relay closes a path capable ofconnection to supply battery to an indicator, connections wherebyoperation of selected of said keys supply battery to selected of saidarmatures, connections whereby operation of selected of said keys supplybattery to selected of said windings, connections whereby operation ofselected of said keys supply ground to selected of said windings,connections whereby operation or selected of said keys supply releasingshunt paths to selected of said relays, and connections wherebyoperation of certain of said keys supply ground paths to selected ofsaid indicators, said selections being independent and certain of saidconnections including rectifiers.

4. In combination, a series of indicators, a supply battery, a series ofkeys, means whereby certain of said keys, when operated, connect batteryto selected of said indicators, means whereby certain of said keys, whenoperated, supply operating grounds to selected of said indicators, meanswhereby certain of said keys, when operated, supply operating inhibitinggrounds to selected of said indicators, and means whereby saidselections are made independent.

In combination, a series of indicators, a supply battery, a series ofkeys, means whereby certain of said keys, when operated, connect batteryto selected of said indicators, means whereby certain of said keys, whenoperated, supply operating grounds to selected of said indicators, meanswhereby certain of said keys, when operated, supply operation inhibitingground to selected of said indicators, means whereby said selections areindependent of one another, said first mentioned means includingrectifiers some of which are poled toward said supply battery and someof which are poled away from said supply battery.

6. In an indicating system, a first plurality of groups or jacks, asecond plurality of groups of jacks, a plurality of lamps, each of saidlamps connected to a jack in one group of jacks of said first pluralityof groups of jacks, a plurality of keys, each of said keys connected toa jack in one group of jacks of said second plurality of groups oflacks, a first plurality of plug-ended flexible cords connecting certainof said jacks in said first plurality of groups of jacks with certain ofsaid jacks in said second plurality of groups of jacks, a secondplurality of plug-ended flexible cords having a rectifier therein andconnecting others of said jacks in said first plurality of groups ofjacks with others of said jacks in said second plurality of groups ofjacks, certain of said jacks in said first and second plurality ofgroups of jacks being multiply connected, so as to control combinationsof said lamps as desired in response to the actuation of combinations ofsaid keys.

'7. In an indicating system, a first plurality of groups of jacks, asecond plurality of groups of jacks, a plurality of gaseous dischargetubes each having a main anode, a control anode and a cathode, each ofsaid main anodes being connected to a jack in one group of jacks of saidfirst plurality of groups of jacks, means including a start key forapplying positive potential instead of ground potential to said controlanodes, means for applying positive potential to each of said mainanodes through a resistor, said cathodes being grounded, a plurality ofkeys, each of said keys connected to a jack in one group of jacks ofsaid second plurality of groups of jacks, a first plurality ofplug-ended flexible cords connecting certain of said jacks in said firstplurality of groups of jacks with certain of said jacks in said secondplurality of groups of jacks, a second plurality of plug-ended flexiblecords having a rectifier therein and connecting others of said jacks insaid first plurality of groups of jacks with others of said jacks insaid second plurality of groups of jacks, certain of said jacks in saidfirst and second plurality of groups of jacks being multiply connectedso as to control combinations of said tubes as desired in response tothe actuation of combinations of said keys, the shunting of undesiredanodes being prevented by the high resistance in the reverse directionof said rectifiers.

PAUL MALLERY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 727,702 Smith May 12, 1903 804,182 Andriano et al. Nov. 7,1905 1,704,736 Geiger Mar. 12, 1929 1,967,887 Johnston July 24, 19342,056,361 Mills Oct. 6, 1936 2,423,119 Retallack July 1, 1947 2,424,243Lowell July 22, 1947 2,441,557 Bowne May 18, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 314,112 Great Britain June 24, 1929 499,900 Great BritainJan. 31, 1939

